Today, we want to celebrate our friend and advisor, Susan LaVenture, who has been elected President of the North America/Caribbean Region (2021-2024) for the International Council for the Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI). 

We remember when we first met Susan. How this intelligent, reflexive woman with a permanent smile on her face, impressed us with her determination. When she learned about her son’s diagnosis with retinoblastoma, a malignant infant eye cancer, she not only took care of her son but worked with others to provide support to the parents of children with visual impairments. That was about 34 years ago. Since then, she has been a leader in developing nonprofit parents’ organizations and programs that provide and promote support, education, and advocacy for families throughout the world. 

Susan has been involved with a multitude of organizations such as the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the World Blind Union, the International Association of Parents of Visually Impaired (IAPVI), the National Eye Health Education Program of the National Institute of Health, the American Foundation for the Blind, and the Glaucoma Foundation. 

Today, Alex, Susan’s son, is a compassionate doctor who was inspired by the people who saved his life and his vision in one eye. Susan couldn’t be prouder of him! And she keeps working for families like hers. She has a great capacity to put together the right actors to make things happen.

Congratulations to ICEVI for having Susan leading the next quadrennium! We know she will work tirelessly in her new position. She can count on our support to work on behalf of access to education for the Hispanic population with visual impairment.